3 senior police officers shunted out

Patiala: The Punjab government on Saturday shunted out three senior police officials, including an Inspector General, and suspended mobile Internet and SMS services in Patiala district, a day after clashes between two groups over an anti-Khalistan march left four people injured.

The AAP government in the state transferred the Inspector General of Police (IG) Patiala Range, the Patiala senior Superintendent of Police and the Patiala Superintendent of Police with immediate effect.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said Mukhwinder Singh Chinna has been appointed as the new IG-Patiala while Deepak Parik will be the new Patiala SSP.

Wazir Singh has been appointed as the new superintendent of police of Patiala.

Chinna replaces Rakesh Agrawal as IG (Patiala Range) while Parik takes over the post of SSP-Patiala from Nanak Singh.

Police and district administration authorities on Saturday claimed that the situation is under control and peaceful in the city. Heavy police security has been deployed at the site of the clashes outside the Kali Mata temple here. Various Hindu outfits had given a call for a bandh in protest against the Friday incident. Several markets in Patiala city remained shut on Saturday.

Representatives of some Hindu outfits lifted their 'dharna' outside the temple and deferred their proposed protest march after police and district administration assured them of action within two days against those who were behind the disturbance and violence on Friday.